Google sponsored links
i have to get this off my chest...
I was just out riding. Encountered a road rider, i followed. He had an ipod. I was right on his rear wheel - and said "Hey, can you hear me?" No answer. Louder: "Hey, bro, can you hear me?" Again "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Yelling: "YO! HEY! I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME !??" finally, he realized someone was there. this is on a winding, narrow, busy 40 mph road where cops regularly post those radar equipped "your speed is" signs 'cause EVERYONE goes too fast on it.
At an intersection, i motioned, got him to turn down his iPod, told him I had been yelling behind him and he couldn't hear me, maybe he shouldn't plug up his ears when he's riding in traffic. He got really righteous and indignant .. "saying I'll keep that in mind" and "I ride 10,000 miles a year.."
I told him i hope i didn't end up reading about him, and that it only took ONE car that he doesn't hear coming to cripple or kill him.
Was i wrong to say something?
This is an archived thread, you can find the full version of this thread, with images, links and more content
here.
Ready to buy? Check out these two online bike stores:
-
http://www.nashbar.com (you can find the latest bike nashbar coupons in
this thread)
-
http://www.performancebike.com (you can find the latest performance bike coupons in
this thread)
Cya on the forums,
- The BikeForums Team
-
http://www.bikeforums.net
Did you have any reason to speak with him that involved matters of your own safety?
If not, my rule of thumb is to keep quiet and let Darwin take his course - if you get what I mean.
-Kurt
Eh, it's not really your responsibility to make sure the guy isn't an idiot. And I'd have to agree... Darwin hasn't been wrong yet for the last 200 million years.
point taken.. and i have to agree. I'll lighten up.
I live in the Boston area, reading about more and more bicyclists here are getting injured or killed by distracted text messaging drivers, which gets me upset. I'm riding off road a lot more than on these days because i don't feel as safe on the road as i used to.
I would have just told him "I was trying to get your attention but you couldn't hear me because of your headphones" and left it at that.
so should cycling by hard of hearing / deaf persons be discouraged? They would have failed that test...
I would have just told him "I was trying to get your attention but you couldn't hear me because of your headphones" and left it at that.
Rider 1: I was trying to get your attention but you couldn't hear me because of your headphones.
Rider 2: Oh, sorry. What's up mate?
Rider 1: Actually, nothing... I just wanted to make a passive aggressive point about how people have a hard time hearing when they wear headphones.
Rider 2: <grumble><turns up White Zombie, rides off>
Rider 1: Wait! I have an entire unsolicited roadside lecture for you! Hey! <rides off to find another bicyclist to educate>
I wonder if this guy had an ipod. http://www.komotv.com/news/local/18779919.html
Whenever I see iPod wires dangling from the ears of bikers, joggers or walkers I no longer bother trying to give a warning of a pass. They can't hear me and don't seem to care less anyway.
I would have just told him "I was trying to get your attention but you couldn't hear me because of your headphones" and left it at that.
"I was trying to get your attention because something fell out of your toolbag/pocket 3 miles ago but you couldn't hear me because of your headphones" and left it at that.
so should cycling by hard of hearing / deaf persons be discouraged? They would have failed that test...
No. Hearing is over-rated. Your ears often deceive you. Hybrids are often deadly quiet.
I was accosted by a self righteous SOB who lectured me about wearing an IPod as if it was any of his damn business. And I told him to mind his own business - so he got even more self righteous.
So OP: you can tell I don't appreciate it when people stick their nose into what I feel is my own personal decision to listen to tunes while I'm riding. Even if it was dangerous (which it isn't), it isn't dangerous to you and you need to realize adults are free to decide this stuff for yourself.
Good topic though.
Whenever I see iPod wires dangling from the ears of bikers, joggers or walkers I no longer bother trying to give a warning of a pass. They can't hear me and don't seem to care less anyway.
I think this is a perfectly reasonable attitude. Obviously you need to be careful when passing (but you always should anyway). When I listen to tunes, I'm doubly conscious of staying right and keeping a line so if someone needs to pass - car or cycle - they know exactly where I'll be.
As someone else said, hearing is over rated. I can't distinguish between a vehicle coming behind me that will hit me vs. the million others who are just passing.
On a bike path, I think calling out is a little over rated anyway. At least half the time I call out, riders - or walkers - look back over their left shoulder, swerving that way. I ALWAYS slow to a very slow speed to pass regardless of whether I am able to get someone's attention or not.
Oh my; your very first post/thread and it had to be a rant against another cyclist.
You know, I always see cyclist and motorist long before I hear them (even with the i-Pod off).
What rant do you plan on giving electric car drivers for not making enough noise when they approach you?
Even without headphones it's virtually impossible to hold a converstaion with someone behind you. If you wanted to engage him in conversation, move up alongside him, otherwise, mind your own damned business.
yes. this has been another edition of 'simple answers to simple questions'.
Oh my; your very first post/thread and it had to be a rant against another cyclist.Yeah, sorry.. i felt funny about the encounter, sought opinions, and found this forum.
What rant do you plan on giving electric car drivers for not making enough noise when they approach you? Actually, that's a real problem - blind people HATE hybrids - they can't hear them idling when crossing roads (my brother's wife, r.i.p., was blind.)
I ALWAYS slow to a very slow speed to pass regardless of whether I am able to get someone's attention or not. That was another rant i had to another cyclist a few years ago .. he was hammering 20+mph on a bike path, past baby strollers, rollerbladers, 4 year olds weaving with training wheels.. i was on his tail, calling out behind him, for many miles. i finally yelled at him to either call out, slow down, or ride with the cars.
I'll stop being so righteous though.. this been a learning experience.
I'll stop being so righteous though.. this been a learning experience.
Just think of how goofy you would have felt had the guy been deaf. :p
Just think of how goofy you would have felt had the guy been deaf. :p
i felt goofy even though he could hear.. even if it was White Zombie.. or whatever.
he was hammering 20+mph on a bike path, past baby strollers, rollerbladers, 4 year olds weaving with training wheels.. i was on his tail, calling out behind him, for many miles. i finally yelled at him to either call out, slow down, or ride with the cars.
LOL. So what you're saying is that you were doing the same thing for 'many miles'? Did that help?
How do you respond to wrong way riders? I'm interested to know. Really.
LOL. So what you're saying is that you were doing the same thing for 'many miles'? Did that help?
It did. People got out of the way when i called out. A few times I didn't, some were startled.
How do you respond to wrong way riders? I'm interested to know. Really.
Always been happy to let Darwin handle wrong way riders, never thought to lecture them. They also get out of the way, since i stay in my lane.
Who is this Darwin who controls our fate and has been around for 200 million years? :p
(Sorry. I just think it's odd that people talk about Darwin like he invented (or causes) natural selection, rather than just noticed it.)
I am only 51, and I have no influence on matters of stupidity or fitness for survival other than my own... But my ears burn whenever my name is mentioned. :)
I also have nothing to do with those award books, lists or web sites.
I also tend to leave people to their own devices while I grumble to myself how stupid they are for doing X, Y or Z that I think is stupid... until I either realize that I do it too, or that it is not all that critical.
I am sometimes caught beating dead horses though... :deadhorse:
I wonder if this guy had an ipod. http://www.komotv.com/news/local/18779919.html
No way man! That VC to the EXTREME!
You were wrong to stay behind someone who could've done something stupid without realizing you were there... you put yourself in a hazardous situation. The gene pool will take care of itself.
You should have got in front, asked him to catch your wheel and then turn it up to 400 watts and leave him in the dust !
so should cycling by hard of hearing / deaf persons be discouraged? They would have failed that test...
Those folks live with that every day. They know how to make up for it.
i have to get this off my chest...
I was just out riding. Encountered a road rider, i followed. He had an ipod. I was right on his rear wheel - and said "Hey, can you hear me?" No answer. Louder: "Hey, bro, can you hear me?" Again "CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Yelling: "YO! HEY! I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME !??" finally, he realized someone was there. this is on a winding, narrow, busy 40 mph road where cops regularly post those radar equipped "your speed is" signs 'cause EVERYONE goes too fast on it.
At an intersection, i motioned, got him to turn down his iPod, told him I had been yelling behind him and he couldn't hear me, maybe he shouldn't plug up his ears when he's riding in traffic. He got really righteous and indignant .. "saying I'll keep that in mind" and "I ride 10,000 miles a year.."
I told him i hope i didn't end up reading about him, and that it only took ONE car that he doesn't hear coming to cripple or kill him.
Was I wrong to say something?
Translation: My life is so vacuous I need to go out and 'lecture' everyone that doesn't conform to my view of the world. The most meaningful event in my sad little life is when I get to yell "get of my lawn" at someone in my most self-righteous and indignant sounding voice.... Now I'm off to the supermarket to give the annoyed stare at mothers with misbehaving children. On the way I'll hopefully run across a cyclist that isn't perfectly comforming to every single law on the books (I have them all memorized, of course) and I'll be able to give them the piece of my mind they richly deserve.
Those folks live with that every day. They know how to make up for it.Really? How?
Hey, OP - example for you:
I was almost T-boned by a woman "leisure cycling" on her hybrid today. She was riding wrong-way, on the grass (golf course edg) to the left edge of the lane from her perspective. I am approaching the intersection (taking the lane), at a 9-o-clock position to her. She pulls off farther to her left, darts out from behind a bush, and proceeds to T-bone me in order to cross (at a 85 degree angle) the street which I am traveling upon, in order to get to the sidewalk on my left. A quick sprint and a dodge to the side took care of what could have been a nasty T-bone. By the time I calmed from the shock and regain normal control, I was 25 feet away from her. She kept on riding.
Did I say anything? No. Did I chase after her shouting Florida Statute 316.081? No. Next time, it'll be a car that T-bones her, and I won't have to deal with her again.
How about showing some of that type of restraint, verbcrunch? I dare say you would probably have been arrested if you had taken up any similar sort of "advocacy" in this same situation - probably for some sort of assault :rolleyes:
Lighten up, and stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong.
-Kurt
Who is this Darwin...?
Lord of the Self Righteous Safety Nannies
Personally I don't have anything in my ears, phone or music - I like to hear what's around me - perhaps that's because I ride so much city - and I've been SUDDENLY CAUTIONED by just a small snippet of a sound behind me that there's a car bearing down on me who doesn't give a snit that I'm on the road so I can try and take evasive actions - have done that.
But that's my personal views. No music, etc. Nu-uh, no freaking way.
However, I know lots of bicyclists who do one earbud, or both; some people are casual riders while a few others are in training for races ...
I can't do it myself - have had too many close calls and have been hit as well and want every iota of attentive energy on where I am and where every other vehicle, etc is, but that's my view so for this I would not say anything, probably shake my head, but - it's up to them - their own personal choice.
Now start blowing lights and causing problems in traffic, etc as I speak at many functions about bicycle safety and the rights of us to be on the road, etc etc - then I speak up. I guess on long tours (shoot - I start singing to myself sometimes on day 3 of a long tour) it would be nice - but I cannot do that. Unsafe on their part, but a personal decision.
Were you wrong?
Well... let's just say that instead of being a boring prig, you could have at least framed your recurrent question as:
"Can you hear me NOW?!"
And been a funny prig.
Hey, OP - example for you:
I was almost T-boned by a woman "leisure cycling" on her hybrid today. She was riding wrong-way, on the grass (golf course edg) to the left edge of the lane from her perspective. I am approaching the intersection (taking the lane), at a 9-o-clock position to her. She pulls off farther to her left, darts out from behind a bush, and proceeds to T-bone me in order to cross (at a 85 degree angle) the street which I am traveling upon, in order to get to the sidewalk on my left. A quick sprint and a dodge to the side took care of what could have been a nasty T-bone. By the time I calmed from the shock and regain normal control, I was 25 feet away from her. She kept on riding.
Did I say anything? No. Did I chase after her shouting Florida Statute 316.081? No. Next time, it'll be a car that T-bones her, and I won't have to deal with her again.
How about showing some of that type of restraint, verbcrunch? I dare say you would probably have been arrested if you had taken up any similar sort of "advocacy" in this same situation - probably for some sort of assault :rolleyes:
Lighten up, and stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong.
-Kurt
Argh - well with these people ... I will growl at the time something about being on the wrong side or something. I do have people come up to my public functions that I did for my club who would ask sometimes these types of questions - the "what if" questions and "say if I were doing this and another bicyclist was" - personally I always rather understood how bicycling on a road, etc would function in relation to another "vehicle" or person. But some people don't grasp it - and I have to say I've hit several people over the years who were surprised as to a bicyclists rights to the road ----- as well as their responsibilities to being on the road - or trail.
So, I dunno. I still growl at people on the way by, used to do more, but how much of a prick do I want to make of myself - and does it really teach them anything other than the fact that the blond girl on the blue mtb bike is a ... prick. :)
If you were trying to pass him or something, totally understandable, communication helps a lot when riding and someone blocking out the entire world around him is not really a good thing.
On the other hand, you're not his mum, so I wouldn't bother nagging him, not like people learn anything till they get hit anyway, and then they typically learn it for all the wrong reasons.
Paramedics and funeral directors gotta eat; let them have their job security.
If you go around telling everyone who does something unsafe that they are, you aren't going to have much of a life. It isn't your job.
And since a deaf person can ride without being able to hear, this person could have learned as well. Besides, if he is blasting the music in his ears, he might be practicing for when he will be deaf.
But warnings such as this normally do fall on deaf ears... :rolleyes:
I told him i hope i didn't end up reading about him, and that it only took ONE car that he doesn't hear coming to cripple or kill him.
I understand you were trying to help him.
But I have been riding in traffic for over a decade, and I still can't tell if a car is going to hit me from behind by listening to it.
P.S.: This subject = :deadhorse:
I understand you were trying to help him.
But I have been riding in traffic for over a decade, and I still can't tell if a car is going to hit me from behind by listening to it.
Yea, I love the claims made by some that they have saved themselves by hearing in a moment ("in the twinkling of an eye") that some motorist with no concern for their safety is bearing down upon them.
God bless 'em, and my they live and ride into perpetuity, but I don't think their hearing is nearly as good as their imagination.
Caruso
the correct answer is:
Yes.
P.S.: This subject = :deadhorse:
But which subject hasn't been already ...?
But which subject hasn't been already ...?
You're right. Let me clarify:
A&S = :deadhorse:
:roflmao:
-Kurt
Previous -
Top -
Next
Copyright 1999 - 2007
BikeForums.Net - All rights reserved.
Common bike forum topics in clue bicycles, cycling, mountain biking,
cycling jerseys, shorts, socks, shoes and bike equiptment selection.